Emergency Tiller on the KK42

[JDCAVE]

I’ve read with interest, Steve D’Antonio’s post on his website on familiarization with the emergency tiller. I have one but must confess I haven’t tried it yet. It would seem that one would need a lookout at the helm to provide direction. On the other hand, one could straighten the rudder fore and aft and then proceed to steer using small adjustments with the bow thruster.

Thoughts?

Jim

 

[koliver]

I’ve read with interest, Steve D’Antonio’s post on his website on familiarization with the emergency tiller. I have one but must confess I haven’t tried it yet. It would seem that one would need a lookout at the helm to provide direction. On the other hand, one could straighten the rudder fore and aft and then proceed to steer using small adjustments with the bow thruster.

Thoughts?

Jim

I agree that a lookout would be vital to steering with the E-Tiller.
In my boat, the tiller is operated by first opening the Lazarette, pulling out the E-tiller, opening the tiller-filler (looks the same as the water/waste/diesel fillers, but is located under the Lazarette hatches.) and fitting the E-T. Then look out, as in order to hang on, you are at the stern of the boat, well hidden from where you would like to go.
I at least have twins, so I can use the throttles to steer. The E-T can be used to centre the rudders, then leave the steering to the throttles.
No, I have never tried mine in the 25+ yrs I have owned this boat.

 

[Portage_Bay]

On a boat where you don't have good visibility and navigational information at the tiller one way to think about using an emergency tiller is to put the decision making in the wheel house. The wheel watch is navigator, look out and is actually steering the boat. The person on the tiller is just a tiller controller setting the rudder angle and direction at the command of the person in the wheel house.

I've only done it in drills, not actual steering mechanism failure. But it became immediately clear that the person at the tiller hasn't got enough information and situational awareness to command the boat.

It's sloppy, you steer a serpentine course. But you get there and the team gets better quickly

 

[rslifkin]

I'd agree with that method of having the tiller operator just taking commands. Much like anchoring where the person on the bow is in charge, the person at the helm is just a robot to do things the person in charge can't reach.

 

[Crusty Chief]

Maybe you should practice it once or twice. We had to use the E Tiller on the way down the coast and had to steer into Ft. Bragg with it. We had a hydraulic ram failure, one of the seals failed losing all fluid. Once we got the tiller in place and we were able to steer, it became apparent that the Admiral had to run the Throttle, watch AIS, radar and keep a sharp eye on boat traffic in front of us, we were 2.5 hrs from the entrance. I set up the Ipad on the stern cockpit so that I could follow a course. Once we got close to the entrance, and its a very narrow entrance, we slowed the boat down to about 2 knots. Anything faster and the thrusters are ineffective. So in and out of gear to keep her slowed down.
It would have been hard to do in rough seas as we had to keep the hatch open to operate the tiller.
Maintain your composure and work as a team. Would have been real interesting and a challenge to do single handed.

 

[JDCAVE]

Thanks for the advice. We should give it a go then. Do you have to disconnect anything prior to trials?

 

[Crusty Chief]

Familiarize yourself with the hydraulic bypass valves, unless you loose all fluid like we did, it’s difficult to override the system with the tiller. And maybe time yourself. We had to move stuff, just to get to the tiller.